The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of geranium botanically known as Pelargonium zonale, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name `Rena`.
`Rena` is a product of planned breeding program which has the objective of creating new geranium cultivars with signal red flower color, semi-double flower form, meidum green foliage with strong zonation. Rena was originated from a hybridization made in a controlled breeding program in Hagenbach, Germany in 1990. The female parent was `Hagenbacher Rubin`, a breeding line of Geranium Endish (Hagenbach, Germany) characterized by its signal red flower color, semi-double flower form, light green foliage without zonation. `Rena` differs from `Hagenbacher Rubin` in that `Rena` has shorter internodes, an earlier flower response, and leaves with stron zonation. The leaves of `Hanenbacher Rubin` exhibit essentially no zonation. The male parent of `Rena` was `Bruni`, a line not longer commercially available, characterized by its red flower colors, semi-double flower form, medium green foliage, medium zonation, very compact habit. `Bruni` is more compact in growth than `Rena` and has more petals and/or petaloids. `Rena` also exhibits a stronger leaf zonation than `Bruni`.
`Rena` was discovered and selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross by the inventors in August 1991 in a controlled environment in Hagenbach, Germany.